Euphemia Tod(d) and Robert Walton

[Mundell]

Can anyone guide me to earlier information about Euphemia Todd.   I have been able to find the birth details of some of their children as follows:-

Children of Robert Walton & Euphemia Tod
1.   24 Feb.1805, dau. Mary Walton b. Dairsie, Fife, Scotland
2.   26 Feb. 1807, son George Walton b. Dairsie, Fife, Scotland 
3.   16 Jan. 1809, son John Waltown b. Dairsie, Fife, Scotland
4.   11 Jan. 1811, son Robert Walten b. Dairsie, Fife, Scotland

However, I cannot find marriage details for this couple, or birth details and parents for Euphemia.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Mundell

[jenc]

Hi Mundell
I too have come across this stumbling block regarding the marriage of Robert and Euphan/Euphemia. There is no trace of a marriage on scotlandpeople, so I have come to the conclusion that they never married.  It would seem that Robert was just 16 when their first child Mary was born in 1805.
No trace of Euphemia's birth either.
Robert went on to marry Margaret Melville at Leuchars in 1814, they had 5 daughters between 1816 and 1827.
Also can't find any trace of Euphemia or her children on the 1841 census, but Robert was living in St Andrews with his ' legitimate ' daughters, his wife having died in 1839
Robert died in 1843, a newspaper 'obit ' states he was a gardener for 26 years in the family of Dr Briggs!
Jenc

[Mundell]

Hello jenc,

That's all a bit of a surprise. I'm sorry we have both had the same problem.  I expect you are right - that there is no marriage for Robert and Euphan and yet they had all those children.  I have found several Euphemia Todds, but can't tell which would be the most likely.  I would like to know because she is obviously one of my blood relatives.

You have much more information that I have though.  I don't have details of a Robert Walton born in 1789.  Can you tell me where he was born? 

Thanks for the detail of marriage to Margaret Melville and the other information.  Especially the news 'obt.' Please would you tell me how you obtained that? 

Regards,  Mundell

[jenc]

Hi Mundell
Robert Walton was born on the 15th January 1791 in Creich, he was the son of William Walton b. 1771 Dairsie and Mary Law.  His sister Euphemia was my 3 x great grandmother.
I have been trawling through my notes to find out where I got the info on the 'obit' but no success, must have been a few years back when I was researching the Walton side of the family.
I cam across some correspondence I had with a descendant (I think of George b. 1807, Robert and Euphemia's second child) he couldn't find any trace of a marriage either, but apparently on George's death certificate  they are both given ' an honourable mention '
Interestingly and maybe significantly, another sister of Robert Walton was Hurcellia b. 1797, and
 her middle name was Todd!
Regards Jenc

[Mundell]

Hello again Jenc, 

Thanks so much for that very useful information.  I had got a Robert Walton at Creich in 1792 and thought that too young to be the correct one.  Must have started young!  Of course, I have discovered that these dates and ages can sometimes be a couple of years out. 

That is fascinating research you have been able to do.  Robert and Euphan's son John is my 2 X Great Grandfather and therefore Robert and Euphan are my 3 x Great Grandparents.  So I guess at that level we are related!  I think that 'honourable mention' and the inclusion of 'Todd' clinches that there is a significant 'Todd' line to this family.  I have come across 2 similar situations later in the 1800's where the official birth parents are not the ones named on marriage certs. and used as middle names etc. and it does require a leap of imagination to accept that there may have had to be a family adjustment to legitimise a child along the way.

Thanks for the note about the obt. anyway.  I've made a note of it in my file.  Who knows I may come accross it one day.

Regards.   Mundell

[Mundell]

Hello Again Jenc. 

I hope you don’t mind if I ask a further question.  I think it is a bit of a long shot, as I know our families followed different strands from brother and sister Robert and Euphemia Walton, but I wonder if in researching your Walton family you have come across the name Helen Kenley? This is another mystery I have encountered.

My Grandmother was Alison Kenley Walton.
Her father John named Helen Kenley as his mother on his marriage certificate. 
Other records and certificates give his parents as John Walton (Robert’s son) and Elizabeth Rollo. 
Kenley was clearly an important name for him.
I have located several Helen Kenleys (and variations) but have not been able to determine a connection with John Walton or the Walton family.

Life events of John Walton
1809   Birth of John Walton - Parents - Robert Walton and EuphemiaTodd
1838   Marriage Banns    John Walton and Elizabeth Rollo
1843   Birth Record of John Walton - Parents - John Walton and Elizabeth Rollo
1860   Marriage  John Walton and Janet Brown - John's parents given as John Walton and Helen Kenley                         
1872    Birth       Alison Kenley Walton
1927   Death Cert.   John Walton -Parents - John Walton and Elizabeth Rollo

I just thought I should take this opportunity to ask you since we have the Walton family in common.

Regards, Mundell

[jenc]

Hi Mundell
That is indeed a mystery
I cannot find any trace of Helen Kenley among the Waltons.  Could it possibly been a mistake on John's part when giving his mother's name on his marriage certificate.  I know from experience that could be true.  On my maternal grandmother's death certificate her maiden name was completely wrong, it should have been Dickson but was given as Forsyth.  It was fortunate that I DID know for sure that her maiden name was indeed Dickson.  One of her sisters was married to a Forsyth, so it could be human error on your John's part.  Intriguing though that he gave your grandmother the middle name of Kenley.
I don't know if you have these but on trying to find an answer to the mystery I found 3 other children born to John Walton and Elizabeth Rollo (there could be more) -

Robert Walton    1839 Kemback
James Walton     1840 Cameron
Elizabeth Dickson Walton  1851 Carnbee.

It appears from this that Elizabeth Rollo was still alive in 1851 at least, 9 years before the marriage of John in1860.
 Have you tried checking the census for 1851 onward?  I looked up the 1841 census and John and Elizabeth are residing at Radernie, Cameron,  with their children Robert aged 2 and James aged 6 months.
I also found siblings for your Alison (you probably know of these already but just in case) -

Robert    1860  Scoonie   (probably died in infancy as younger brother also named Robert)
Andrew   1862       "
Robert    1863        "         middle name Bisset
John       1863        "        (again, probably died in infancy as younger brother also named John)
John       1865        "
Janet      1868   Kirkcaldy
James     1870   Strathmiglo
then of course your Alison b. 1972 back in Scoonie.

I hope you get to the bottom of this mystery, as they say always more questions than answers!
Regards from Jenc.

[jenc]

Sorry I meant your Alison b. 1872 not 1972

[Mundell]

Hi Jenc,

Thanks so much for the time you have taken over this.  Yes, I also have come across a few mistakes on Certificates.  However, I do feel that Helen Kenley must have been important. I will keep an open mind on it, and who knows may find some lead in future searches.

Yes, I do have Alison's siblings.  However, I did not have those details of John Walton and Elizabeth Rollo's children.

Robert Walton    1839 Kemback
James Walton     1840 Cameron
Elizabeth Dickson Walton  1851 Carnbee.

Dickson might well lead further back in either family. How interesting that Dickson was also your Grandmother's maiden name

Your help has been much appreciated. Thankyou.  Mundell